Publications

Starting a farm or adding a new farm enterprise can be an enjoyable and attractive business decision. This factsheet lists contacts and resources to explore as you consider a new or expanding farm enterprise. Resources from government agencies and organizations provide production information vital for starting and operating a successful farm business. Author: Shannon Dill; Title: Starting a Farm Enterprise in Maryland (EBR-2022-0648)

This fact sheet demonstrates how the average consumer, with a simple set of tools, can calculate the real-world capabilities of a solar panel. These skills are particularly important when identifying a defective solar panel and/or confirming the output of a solar panel when its output parameters are unknown. Author: Drew Schiavone, Ph.D.; Title: Working on Solar Panels and Power Output (FS-2022-0646)

Simple changes to yard and greenspace management in cities and suburbs can facilitate healthy insect communities and maximize ecosystem services. Considering insect life cycle transitions can ensure that habitat requirements are met throughout the year and throughout all life stages. Authors: Lauren Schmitt, Kelsey McGurrin, Dr. Karin Burghardt; Title: Managing City and Suburban Yards and Gardens to Sustain Insect Communities (FS-2022-0633)

Slugs damage corn and soybean seedlings by rasping holes, with most problems occurring in high residue no-till fields that provide moist habitat. Slug baits are the most effective chemical control and an IPM approach helps reduce yield loss and maximize profits. Authors: Praise-God Igwe, Maria Cramer, David Owens, Galen Dively, and Dr. Kelly Hamby; Title: Managing Slugs in Field Crops Using IPM Principles" (FS-2022-0629)

This fact sheet provides tips on how readers can recognize and overcome internalized stigma related to seeking mental health care. Author's: Alexander Chan, Ph.D., LCMFT and Alicia Luckstead, Ph.D.; Title: Stigma Pollutes Our Thinking (FS-2022-0639)

This factsheet is to help adults and/or older siblings have a quick refresher and activities to help youth learn how to wash different types of produce, knife skills, and measure and weigh dry and liquid ingredients. These are the basic cooking skills towards healthy eating, that can strengthen child development and provide parenting tips in the kitchen. Authors: Samantha Benner and Shauna C. Henley, Ph.D.; Title: Developing Confidence in the Kitchen: How Adults and Older Siblings can Assist Youth (2 years and up) with Washing, Chopping, and Measuring (FS-2022-0639)

Timing, quality, and quantity are three key components of a successful colostrum feeding program. Holstein calves should be fed three liters and Jersey calves should be fed two liters of high-quality colostrum (>50 grams IgG/mL or ≥21% Brix) within the first two hours of life and an additional two liters within 12 hours.; Author: Dr. Sarah Potts; Title: Colostrum: Getting Calves Off to a Good Start (FS-2022-0641)

Overview of Maryland’s oyster aquaculture industry as of 2020, including context, cumulative harvest data, monthly harvest data, lease totals, and leased acreage, with historic data provided to indicate change over time. Authors: Shannon Hood, Jim LaChance, Cathy Liu, Fredrika Moser, Matthew Parker, and Donald Webster; Title: Maryland Aquaculture Industry in 2020 at a Glance (EBR-62).

Urinary Calculi is a nutritional disease caused by an improper balance of calcium to phosphorus in the diet of goats and sheep. Due to their anatomy, a buildup of urinary calculi can become deadly for male goats and sheep. Proper feeding and proper access to water is essential to prevent this disease. Prompt recognition of urinary calculi is essential to save the animal’s life. A good relationship with a knowledgeable livestock veterinarian is necessary if an emergency arises and owners should seek treatment immediately if urinary calculi is suspected. Treatment by a veterinarian is not always successful and there is a chance it can reoccur, so prevention is key. Authors: Maegan Perdue, Dr. Kimberly Braxton, DVM, Dr. Jonathan Moyle; Title: Urinary Calculi in Male Goats and Sheep (FS-2021-0581)

Physiological disorders are abnormalities within the different apple fruit tissues that lead to a loss of quality, marketability, and profitability, and therefore an increase in fruit loss and waste. Physiological disorders are not caused by pathogens or mechanical damage but can be a result of several factors, such as: genotype/genetic background (cultivar/strain), maturity at harvest time, orchard/preharvest factors, seasonal variations, and postharvest storage conditions. Different cultivars are more prone to developing certain disorders than others, e.g., Honeycrisp fruits are highly prone to bitter pit development. In the case of maturity at harvest, it is known that fruit that is harvested too early are more prone to developing bitter pit, while fruits that are harvested too late (overripe) are prone to developing chilling injury. Besides, late-ripening cultivars are more susceptible to disorders such as watercore. Preharvest factors such as tree fruit mineral nutrition, rootstock selection, or crop load, have all been shown to play a key role in the development of physiological disorders, as bitter pit has been shown to be exacerbated in Honeycrisp fruit with low calcium levels and larger sizes. Additionally, environmental variations such as high temperatures, increased precipitation or excessive sunlight exposure can all trigger physiological disorder development. Finally, postharvest storage conditions, e.g., humidity levels, temperature, gas concentrations, which are key in maintaining fruit quality during storage, can also increase susceptibility to physiological disorders. In this fact sheet we will take a closer look at nine physiological disorders that can develop in apples during postharvest storage, but can be triggered by the different factors described above. We will briefly discuss their symptoms, why and when do they develop, and how can they be prevented. Authors: Carlos Corte, Candidate for B.S. in Biochemistry, and Macarena Farcuh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist; Title: From the Orchard to Cold Storage: A Closer Look at the Development of Nine Physiological Disorders in Apples (FS-2022-0640)